Raye beats Sir Paul McCartney to the Mercury Prize with an album that nearly vanished when her car was stolen

Raye, the 28-year-old born Rachel Keen, scooped the £25,000 prize at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on Thursday night. Two years ago her car was taken along with all her songwriting notebooks and demos, delaying the record. She once publicly attacked her old label for blocking her debut album. Hers is the first pop album to win since M People's Elegant Slumming in 1994.

On stage she said: 'Hope is just something that we all need, and music is medicine.'

Sir Paul McCartney, aged 84, was shortlisted for the first time in his career.

The 73-minute album features Al Green, four orchestras and more than 100 musicians.